Pope Francis affirms commitment to Christian unity

Taking part in the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Pope Francis affirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to the ecumenical journey saying, ‘For us as Christians, walking together is not a ploy to strengthen our own positions, but an act of obedience to the Lord and love for our world. Let us ask the Father to help us walk together all the more resolutely in the ways of the Spirit’.

‘I wanted to take part personally in the celebrations marking this anniversary of the World Council, not least to reaffirm the commitment of the Catholic Church to the cause of ecumenism and to encourage co-operation with the member churches and with our ecumenical partners.

‘Whenever we say “Our Father”, we feel an echo within us of our being sons and daughters, but also of our being brothers and sisters. Prayer is the oxygen of ecumenism’, said Pope Francis.

We are all branches of the one vine. Walking and praying together. Prayer is the oxygen of ecumenism. We imitate Our Lord by praying to be One. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an essential part of our joint witness. ⁦@BobFyffe⁩ ⁦@BishopAngaelos⁩ ⁦ pic.twitter.com/ZwCQF2OoDF